UNHCR is deeply saddened at emerging reports of an estimated 170 people who either died or went missing in two separate shipwrecks on the Mediterranean Sea.

Some 53 people have died on the Alborán Sea, western Mediterranean, according to recent information from NGO sources. One survivor is understood to have been rescued by a passing fishing boat after being stranded for more than 24 hours at sea and is receiving medical treatment in Morocco. Moroccan and Spanish rescue vessels have been searching for the boat and survivors for several days to no avail.

In the first 11 months of 2018, the number of irregular border crossings into the EU fell by 30% from a year ago to about 138 000, mainly because of lower migratory pressure in the Central Mediterranean. A month before the end of the year, 2018 remains on track to see the lowest number of illegal border crossings since 2014.

In November, about 8 800 irregular border crossings were detected on the main migratory routes into the EU, 44% lower than in the same month of last year.

RABAT / GENEVA (21 December 2018) – A UN expert said today Morocco must take urgent action to ensure its constitutional commitments to racial equality and combatting racial discrimination extend to all Moroccans, and to migrants and refugees, in keeping with its international human rights obligations.

Rabat, Morocco 3 December 2018 - The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT), is a four-year (2015-2019) joint initiative of the European Union (EU) and UNODC (Office United Nations on Drugs and Crime) being implemented in partnership with IOM (International Organization for Migration) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund).

(Athens) – Greek law enforcement officers at the land border with Turkey in the northeastern Evros region routinely summarily return asylum seekers and migrants, Human Rights Watch said today. The officers in some cases use violence and often confiscate and destroy the migrants’ belongings.

Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco, 11 December 2018: H.E. Merethe Nergaard, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway and Ms Ana Fonseca, Chief of Mission of the UN Migration Agency (IOM) signed an agreement to award a grant of NOK 4,000,000, equivalent approximately to over EUR 400,000, to the IOM as a contribution to the programme “RAISE” (Voluntary Return and Reintegration for Stranded Migrants in Morocco).

Geneva – IOM, the International Organization for Migration, reports that 111,237 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 12 December. This year is the fifth straight during which the arrival of irregular migrants and refugees has topped the 100,000 threshold – although 2018’s total is low compared to those recorded at this time in 2017 (166,737) and 2016 (358,018).

Vienna, Austria, December 12, 2018. OFID – the OPEC Fund for International Development – has approved more than US$328 million of new funding to benefit developing countries across the globe. The 165th Session of OFID’s Governing Board approved the funding at the organization’s Vienna

Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 104,506 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 18 November. Spain topped 50,962 – more irregular arrivals to Spain through 45 weeks of 2018 than all arrivals during the past three years combined.

This makes it the fifth straight year arrivals of irregular migrants and refugees have topped the 100,000 mark, although this year’s totals are low compared to those at this time in 2017 (157,323) and 2016 (345,831).

Morocco launched a new satellite on 20 November which aims to assist with a range of tasks including the prevention and management of natural disasters, monitoring changes in the environment and desertification, as well as border and coastal surveillance.

Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 103,347 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 14 November. Spain topped 50,440 – more irregular arrivals to Spain through 45 weeks of 2018 than all arrivals during the past three years combined.

This marks the fifth straight year arrivals of irregular migrants and refugees have topped the 100,000 mark, although this year’s totals are low compared to those at this time in 2017 (156,708) and 2016 (343,158).

Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 102,611 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 11 November, including 49,912 to Spain, the region’s most active destination point this year, with just under 49 per cent of all 2018 arrivals. This marks the fifth straight year arrivals of irregular migrants and refugees have topped the 100,000 benchmark – although in all previous years that arrival threshold was reached earlier in the year.

Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 101,185 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 7 November, including 49,254 to Spain, the region’s most active destination point this year, with just under 49 per cent of all 2018 arrivals. This marks the fifth straight year arrivals of irregular migrants and refugees have topped the 100,000 benchmark – although in all previous years that arrival threshold was reached earlier in the year.

Geneva — IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 100,630 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 4 November, including 49,013 to Spain, the region’s most active destination point this year, with just under 50 per cent of all 2018 arrivals. The region’s total arrivals through the recent weekend compare with 154,825 arrivals across the region through the same period last year, and 337,773 at this point in 2016 (see chart below).